Blackened catfish with potato pancake, cauliflower flan and purple cabbage is among the entrees diners have experienced at 160 Main, located at 160 South Main Street in Newtown, Conn. The restaurant serves American cuisine and its menu changes with the seasons. less

Blackened catfish with potato pancake, cauliflower flan and purple cabbage is among the entrees diners have experienced at 160 Main, located at 160 South Main Street in Newtown, Conn. The restaurant serves ... more

This is the main dining room at 160 Main, a restaurant featuring American cuisine at 160 South Main Street in Newtown, Conn. The restaurant offers a seasonal menu with a focus on farm-to-table freshness.

This is the main dining room at 160 Main, a restaurant featuring American cuisine at 160 South Main Street in Newtown, Conn. The restaurant offers a seasonal menu with a focus on farm-to-table freshness.

From the low, white ceilings with dark wood beams to the melting pot of food options, 160 Main immerses diners in an American dining experience -- but with a twist. Everything in this Newtown restaurant has been updated, especially the menu.

Formerly the Italian favorite Mona Lisa, this South Main Street site features American cuisine with an emphasis on farm-to-table freshness.

Since Mona was in town since 1990 and moved to this building in 2002, the recent change surprised locals. Opening in March, 160 Main appears to be catching on -- the parking lot was packed when I stopped in on a recent weekend night.

The building itself offers a welcoming Colonial-era atmosphere. A decorative message stenciled on a wall at the entrance welcomes visitors: "The fondest memories are made when gathered at the table."

The charm continues in the dining room, where local artists' paintings are showcased.

Appetizers range from grilled eggplant to handmade sausages. There are many seafood options as well, including shrimp cocktail, steamed mussels and fried calamari.

Entrees include pan-roasted salmon with wild brown rice and a black bean corn relish. There's also chicken stuffed with scallops, shrimp, mozzarella and asparagus, with a creamy mushroom veal glaze and lobster ravioli. Other options include red snapper, sea scallops and homemade fettucine, just to name a few.

Nightly additions change along with the menu, which is seasonal. The night I visited there was a catfish dish that caught my eye. Well-cooked, its mild flavor was perfectly complemented by a savory cauliflower flan upon which it rested. It included a side of braised red cabbage and a roasted garlic potato cake, as well as reduced carrot juice and micro greens.

My dining partner enjoyed a pecan-encrusted salmon filet drizzled with local honey, adding just a hint of sweetness. It was served with wild rice cakes and sauteed spinach, garnished with fried arugula.

Dessert choices included New York cheesecake and apple tart as well as chocolate lava cake, rice pudding and salted caramel ice cream.

Our server was well-informed of all the menu items. Despite no printed children's menu, he accommodated a smaller, appropriately priced portion for a younger child. He answered a barrage of questions without hesitation.

Dining at 160 Main is pleasant and relaxed. Our meals were well thought out and offered a depth that kept the palate captivated. Chef Joseph DeSanto uses local produce as much as possible. All stocks, sauces and dressings are made on the premises. They even smoke their own salmon.

"We try to do as much as we can handmade," he said. "We're taking comfort foods, a roasted chicken, a good steak, a nice piece of salmon, foods that people are comfortable with, and we're just putting love and passion into what we present."

There are three different rooms at 160 Main, with seating for at least 200 diners. A sunroom holds up to 40 and is just off a bar area featuring an impressive choice of beverages. (There's a daily happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m.)

Brunch is served at 160 Main and a family-style menu is in the works. The restaurant, owned by Tom Daoutis of Trumbull, also does catering.